Lion and Rose
by wibblywobblywesteros
Summary: Ser Jaime is fed up with Cersei and her treatment of Queen Margaery's lady in waiting Elinor Tyrell.
1. Chapter 1

Ser Jaime Lannister was not looking forward to seeing his sister. Ever since the wedding of Tomen and Margery, Cersei had become increasingly cross with him. Granted, things between he and Cersei had not been at all good for a very long time before that but something about seeing her youngest son married had only made it worse. Jaime had been avoiding her and keeping to his duties as much as possible. Then she sent for him, twice, and he knew he could not ignore her any longer.

Jaime approached her chambers to find two kingsguard outside the door. Even though Cersei was no longer queen, or queen regent, she had somehow manipulated her way into keeping the guards. She could have asked for Lannister household guards and gotten as many as she needed. He bit back his irritation and knocked on the door.

"Enter." Cersei called out from within.

Jaimie went inside the dimly lit room. His sister wasn't alone in the room. A maid knelt at her feet, weeping. Cersei held a riding crop in one hand. Both of them glanced over at him when he entered the room and Jaime could see that the maid had bruises on her arms and face, and a bleeding lower lip. She had blonde hair, hazel eyes, was strikingly pretty, and she was obviously being punished or abused by Cersei for some reason.

"What in seven hells is going on in here?" Jaime said before he could stop himself.

"Leave us." Cersei said firmly to the girl. The girl got up and fled without a word. "I didn't think you'd come." Cersei said, planting a smile on her face.

"Who was that?" He asked, keeping his anger in check about his sister's abominable behavior.

"It doesn't matter now." She said, sashaying up to him and wrapping her arms around him. "It only matters that you're here now, dearest Jaime."

He pushed her gently away. He was too disgusted with her to be interested in her attempts at seduction. "Why were you beating her?" He persisted.

"Come now Jaime, it wasn't anything nearly as severe as a beating." She turned away from him and poured herself a glass of wine.

For a moment he could only stare. Had she always been like this or had she changed? Or maybe he'd changed?

""If you must know, she was Elinor Tyrell, lady in waiting to our new queen. I _did _try being nice to her first but that didn't serve my needs very well at all." Cersei admitted under his cold stare.

"So you're spying on the queen and her lady wouldn't tell you what you wanted to know?" Jaime asked incredulously. "Aren't you concerned that Elinor will go tell her mistress what you've done?"

"I'm not a total fool Jaime." She turned to him and took a sip of her wine. "You see I explained to her that I am aware of her interest in my son. She danced with him at their wedding and it was entirely inappropriate. Unless Elinor reports every detail of Margary's doings to me, I will have her brought up on formal charges of treason."

"You've lost your mind." Jaime said calmly. Some part of him had always known his sister was like this but she had never shown him this side of herself so openly before. "So did you send for me for a reason?"

"Do I need a reason? Perhaps I simply missed your company." She said sweetly.

"Any other reason?" He quipped.

"Have a drink brother." She poured a cup for him.

"I'm not thirsty." He was not about to let her get him drunk. "If there's nothing else, I have work to do."

"Jaime wait! I have missed you. I truly have. Father is gone, and Joffrey our dear boy… I need you." She pouted.

He hesitated. She took that moment to pounce, wrapping her arms around him, kissing him. He almost gave in until he remembered the riding crop on the floor and the bruised girl she had beaten. Jaime pulled away from her.

"We are finished. I already told you that. It hasn't changed." Jaime left her standing opened mouthed. As he exited the room she came to her senses and he heard her throwing things in a fit of anger.

He really didn't have much work to do. Saying so had merely been an excuse to leave Cersei. He did however wonder about the welfare of the lady, Elinor Tyrell. He headed towards the direction of the new queen's chambers. He wasn't sure if the queen would be there or not but it was very likely that at least some of her handmaids would be there.

More kingsguard waited outside of the door.

"Is the queen here?" Jaime asked one of them.

"No Ser she is not. Her grace has gone to the gardens to take the air with Lady Olenna." The guard replied.

"And what of the lady, Elinor Tyrell? Did she accompany her grace?" Jaime asked realizing it was probably strange for him to be inquiring after a lady.

"She did not. She is in the bedchamber, tending some injury."

"I would like to speak to her." Jaime said.

"Of course, lord commander." The guard moved aside, letting Jaime access the door.

He knocked, then entered slowly. The huge bedchamber seemed empty, He listened for a moment and heard movement to the left where the bath was.

"Lady Elinore?" He called out. He heard a crash. She had dropped something, startled at his entrance. Then he heard her scurry out to the doorway. She had a wet towel in her hands, she was apparently trying to stop the bleeding on her lip and had yet to be successful. Her eyes widened on seeing him. Was that fear? "I'm not here to hurt you. I just came to see that you are alright."

"I...I...thank you ser. I believe I am quite alright now." She said, clearly shaken.

Her lip had resumed bleeding. She was frozen with fright and did nothing to stop the blood from running down her face. Jaime approached her and gently took the towel from her hands, pressing it to her lip. His thumb brushed her cheek as he did so and he could feel her trembling at his touch. "If my sister harms you again, send for me. I will put an end to it."

A few tears slipped out from her big hazel eyes. "Today, was not the first time Ser." She told him.

Jaime tensed with anger. "How many times has she done this?"

"Five." Elinor said, seemingly coming to her senses and taking the towel from his hand.

"Then we should inform queen Margery. It would be safer for you and for her to know the truth of it." Jaime suggested. He couldn't take his eyes off of her lips. She was quite lovely and he couldn't remember ever being so affected by a woman who wasn't Cersei before.

"If we do, she says I will be charged with treason…"

"Only if Margaery tries to punish her for what has been done to you. If everything stays secret then no one will be charged with anything. Unless...you don't trust the queen to keep the secret?" Jaime asked, seeing her downcast expression.

"It isn't that… it's just that…" Elinor clammed up and couldn't go on.

"What is it?"

Elinor shook her head. "It's not safe for me to say anything. I think it would be best for things to remain as they are. I thank you for your concern."

"If that is what you wish." Jaime conceded. Then in uncharacteristic fashion for him, he took her hand and kissed it. "Good day to you my Lady." He said making an exit.

Why was he being so gallant? He wondered as he was leaving. She was a very pretty young woman but he had never cared for impressing women before. Yet it had bothered him more than he could say to see what his sister had done to her. Seeing her tears and standing so close to her had moved him in ways he hadn't been moved before. That's not to say he'd never been attracted to any woman other than Cersei. He definitely had, but he had never _wanted _another woman as much as he found himself wanted Elinor Tyrell. He wanted to protect her and impress her just as much as he wanted to take her to bed. It was an odd sensation for him and it made him angry to recognize it. Not only was he a kingsguard with vows to uphold, he was also a cripple and a good fifteen years her senior. She would never want him even if he were free to have her.

For several days, Jaime struggled to get thoughts of Elinor Tyrell out of his mind. He found out that she was betrothed to Alyn Ambrose but could find out little else about her beyond that. News of the betrothal should have been enough to expunge her from his thoughts but it wasn't enough. Betrothals weren't really final anyhow. He had been betrothed once himself to Lysa Tully and that wedding never happened. But he knew it was useless to concern himself with the lady's betrothal. He knew it was useless to think of her at all. He felt a bit a of a fool, like some sixteen year old lad pinning over a maid. He was a man with a duty to the kingsguard. He did not need the distraction of a pretty woman.


	2. Chapter 2

Eight days after he had first laid eyes on Elinor Tyrell, Jaime returned to his chambers late in the evening to find that he was not alone.

"Who's there?" He could see a shape in the dim moonlight from the window but he couldn't make it out.

"It's me Ser. Elinor Tyrell." Said the familiar voice.

Jaime forgot to breathe. Then he found his voice. "Lady Elinor, is something amiss?"

"Yes." She came closer to where he stood near the door. Jaime reached to light a candle and when he turned back to face her he saw that she had fresh bruises. These were far worse than the others had been. "Cersei didn't strike me herself this time. She had her guards do it. I thought that since you are their lord commander you might…" Her voice broke.

"Order them to stop? Of course I will. The kingsguard shall not harm you again. Neither shall any of the Lannister guards for that matter."

"Thank you Ser." She said, crossing her arms around her middle. She was beginning to lose composure. "I should go."

"Wait. What of your injuries? Have you seen a maester?" He asked concerned.

"No, I came directly here."

"I'll take you to the maester." He offered his arm.

She shook her head. "If I go to the Maester, her grace will hear of it."

"How will you hide your injuries from her even if you don't go?" He indicated the bruises on her face and arms.

"Long sleeves, a veil, it isn't difficult." She said sadly.

"At least let me escort you back to your chambers?" He offered.

She nodded, taking his arm. They walked in silence for a time. Jaime could tell by her breathing that she was in a great deal of pain. The castle was quite large and the further they went the more she struggled. Finally he pulled them to a stop.

"If you will not agree to see a maester then I will carry you to one whether you like it or not." He insisted.

To his surprise she laughed, followed by a cry of pain from the effort. She leaned on him a little more fully. "I fear I can not go on." She said worriedly.

He caught her before she collapsed and scooped her up into his arms. Jaime carried her to the Maester's chambers. She passed out before they could get there but woke again shortly after he placed her on the patient bed. Jaime stepped outside while the Maester checked the lady and administered medicine.

"She is quite unwell." Pycelle told Jaime after he had finished. "Two ribs are broken and she is covered in bruises. Who is the cause of this outrageous abuse?"

"I am not free to say… but she will be alright? She will recover?" Jaime asked.

"I should say so. She will need plenty of rest and should stay off of her feet. I've given her milk of the poppy to ease the pain for now."

"Good...good…" Jaime said. "I can take her back to her chambers." He offered.

"Yes, that would be for the best. I find that most people recover much better in familiar surroundings."

He was careful when he lifted her out of bed but she still cried out in pain anyway. Her head lolled to rest on it's shoulder. He looked down to find her smiling at him in an intoxicated way. "This is nice…" She crooned.

"Oh, is it?" He asked with a grin. How much would she reveal in this state.

"It truly is. I don't think I'll have a chance to be this close to you again." Her eyes were growing sleepy.

"I know exactly what you mean." He said quite honestly.

"You do? why didn't you say anything then?" she asked quite hopefully.

"Because I am kings guard and you are betrothed, remember?"

"Do I have to remember?" She asked sadly.

"No," he said with a smile "Not yet."

She responded by nuzzling just a little closer to him and closing her eyes.

It was a long walk back to the queen's side of the castle. One of the guards saw Jaime approaching and went inside the announce who had arrived. Margary came rushing out in flurry.

"Oh gods, what happened to Elinor?" She said.

"I just came from the maesters. I'll explain everything. Is there some place I can put her?" He asked.

Margary led the way into the chambers and took them to a divan. Jaime laid down the woman in his arms. He already felt bereft without her closeness but he held onto her hand. Margery waited worriedly for his explanation.

"My sister did this. She has been ordering Elinor to spy on you and beating and threatening her if she refuses." Jaime said, knowing the words could mean Cersei's condemnation.

The queen was angry. "Then I thank you Ser Jaime for telling the truth of the matter and for bringing my cousin back to us safely." She was dismissing him, Jaime knew.

"Might I stay with her a while longer, your grace?" Jaime asked.

Margary raised an eyebrow, taking note for the first time of the fact that Jaime still held Elinor's hand. "Of course. Stay as long as you like."

He nodded his thanks."You should know that if you pursue punishing Cersei for this she plans on having the Septon charge Elinor with treason."

'I'm not surprised." Margery huffed. "She just might win if came to that. I can trust you to make sure that it doesn't?"

Jamie understood she was asking for his silence. "Of course. But what makes you so sure Elinor wouldn't win? Did something happen?"

"While I was betrothed to Jeffrey, she and Tomen spent a lot of time together. They were only friends of a sort but the whole court saw them together multiple times. It would be easy to add some false testimony... Elinor is like a sister to me. I wont put her through the humiliation of a trial. She is free to tell your sister whatever she would like to know." Margary said congenially.

Jaime sighed. He hadn't even realised he'd been holding his breath. The queen watched him curiously for a moment, then took her leave.

Elinor awoke in her room several hours later. She gasped with pain when she tried to move. Then the memory of what had happened all came rushing back to her. She glanced around the room and found that Ser Jaime was asleep in a chair next to her bed. What was he doing here? Her heart was pounding with the hope that he had stayed for her of his own volition. And if he had then why?

"Ser Jaime?" She said softly, reaching for his hand only to find he already held it.

"You're awake." He said rubbing his eyes. "How do you feel?"

"Terrible," she said but she was smiling. "Thank you for bringing me back. What did you tell the queen?"

"The truth. Don't worry. She wants you to just tell Cersei whatever she wants to hear."

Elinor sighed, relieved. Her relief was short lived as memories of the previous night came back to her. "Ser Jaime, last night did I truly say...?" She couldn't finish it.

"You did. And so did I." He said squeezing her hand a little tighter.

She closed her eyes and a few tears slipped out. "Gods...what do we do now?" She whispered.

"Nothing. Neither of us are free."

Elinor nodded, trying to keep back her tears and failing. She was soon weeping openly. "I'm sorry Ser Jaime its just..."

"Jaime, call me Jaime."

"My betrothed Alyn Ambrose I feel nothing for him...I don't think he will be the right husband...I enjoy your wit and you have been nothing but kind...I feel safer when you are near." She told him.

"You do realize I am lacking a hand these days? I can't actually offer you much safety at all without a sword hand." He figured this reminder would put an end to her feelings for him, not that he wanted it to end but that would be best for both of them.

"I realize it and I don't care." she said calmly.

"And you know the truth of the parentage of Cersei's children?" That would frighten her off if nothing else would.

"Yes" her eyes met his. "I know you're their father and I don't care about that either

." She said firmly.

"Why?" He choked out. He had truly believed for most of his life that no woman would ever have him if they knew the truth. It stunned him that she accepted his past.

"We Tyrells are a lot more accepting of these things. Loras can't choose who he loves anymore than you can." She said with sincerity."I assume your sister was once very different than she is now." Then she was unsure how to go on.

"She was, or maybe I'm the one who changed. I don't know...I should go." He said, forcing himself to stand.

Elinor nodded, biting back her tears as she let him walk away.


	3. Chapter 3

Nearly three weeks went by before Jaime saw Elinor again. The Queen invited him to take dinner with she and Tommen one evening and Jaime was obligated to accept. The possibility that Elinor would be in attendance never even occurred to him. Margery arranged the seating and put him next to her cousin. She wore an olive green gown with tiny roses embroidered into the fabric. The color accentuated her hazel eyes and the low cut of the bodice revealed a little more bosom than she any of the other gowns she had worn when they'd met.

"Lady Elinor." He said as a greeting when he pulled out her chair and for her and seated himself.

"Ser Jaime." She said politely in return, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes downcast. Perhaps she was as flustered as he felt.

Margery was an entertaining host. She kept the conversation going and the guests laughing for much of the meal. As more wine and courses were served, those at the table began to break off into separate conversations with the people nearest them.

"How have you been my lady?" Jaime finally made himself speak to her. "You have been healing, I hope?"

"I have. My injuries are much more manageable now." She said without really meeting his gaze, though her tone was friendly. "I thank you for your concern."

"I wanted to come and check on your progress but I thought it best to keep my distance." He told her honestly. Every word was true. He had thought about her constantly and it had nearly driven him mad.

She looked up at him, inquisitively. "Was the distance best for my sake or yours?" It was a bold question.

"You're angry with me." He said, slightly amused at the realization.

"Only a little." She said looking back down at her food.

"I truly thought it was best for the both of us." He gave as an answer.

"Why?" She asked, eyebrows arched. "Are you frightened that I might have some horrible hidden flaw?"

"What? No." He almost laughed. "I'm not so young and naive as to believe that you are free of flaws but whatever flaws you do have, I'm sure your loveliness makes up for it entirely."

Elinore was blushing but she didn't look away. "If you truly believe that, then I'm afraid I don't understand what has kept you away."

"Elinor...I..I can't be what you want… _we_ can't ever be together and we both know that." He said, trying to keep the desperation from his voice. "We can't even take a walk in the gardens without arousing suspicions and making people ask questions. And since I barely know you, a walk in the gardens would be a nice beginning, wouldn't it?"

"It would." She said with a small smile. "I can meet you in the godswood." She offered tentatively.

"What?"

"You heard me. No one ever goes there. I'll bring some food and wine. We can just sit and talk. Tomorrow at dusk?" Elinor asked, the words spilling out nervously.

Jaime opened his mouth. He knew he should say no but he wanted to know this woman even more than what he _should _do. "Alright. Tomorrow at dusk. I'll be there."

He took a sip of his wine and from the corner of his eye saw Elinor bite her lip while smiling. He reached over with his left hand and held her hand under the table. He felt her sigh at the contact and he felt himself relax as well. Cersei had always said that he was her other half, that the two of them were incomplete without each other. Every moment he spent with Elinor Tyrell had him doubting that idea.

Neither of them realized that the queen was closely watching them. She couldn't hear their words from where she sat but she could see that their was a definite connection between her pretty cousin and Ser Jaime Lannister. Margery had seated the pair together just to see if the connection was real or imagined. She was sure now that it was real. She didn't know the kingslayer well at all but knew his reputation well enough to know that he did not fraternize with women, ever. Yet here he was with her pretty cousin, flirting and holding hands under the table. And Elinor, she was a complicated young woman, not the sort of woman she would have ever expected to be interested in Ser Jaime.

Margery waited until after most of her guests had left to speak with her cousin. "Elinor, come sit with me for a moment."

Elinor joined her at the empty chair to the queen's left.

"I can't help but notice that you and Ser Jaime seemed to be getting along well." Margary said without preamble.

"Yes, I suppose we got along well enough." Elinor said casually.

"Cousin please, I can see that you care for him and he cares for you. There's no point in hiding it. I'm not going to tell your betrothed or the septons. We're family!" Margery tried to remain cheerful but sometimes her had a hard time understanding her cousin. She always had.

"You think he cares for me?" Elinor could hardly hide the hope from her voice.

Margery smiled. "So you do care for him? When did this happen? Was it before Cersei tried to use you to spy on me or after?"

"It began then, I suppose…" Elinor looked down at her hands, picking at a cuticle.

"And?" The queen prodded for more information.

"And I hadn't seen him since the night he carried me back to my chambers."

"Oh Elinor, I don't think I've ever seen you so happy as you were tonight. Your life has been much more difficult than mine has. What can I do to help?" Margery offered warmly.

"I need to prepare a picnic tomorrow night. I'll need food." Elinor told her.

"Done. And you may borrow any of my dresses if you wish." Margery said with a smile.

The following evening Jaime found Elinor in the goodwood as promised. She sat on a wool blanket with Tyrell colors, her legs tucked neatly beneath her. The blanket was large enough for him to join her. There was a basket of food as well.

He lowered himself down to sit with her and she began unpacking their meal.

"Good evening, Lady Elinor." He said as she began laying out the food.

"Good evening. If I am to call you Jaime as you asked, then you must call me Elinor." She told him.

He nodded. They ate in companionable silence for a while before they truly began conversing. When they did begin talking it was warm and relaxed. They talked about their childhoods, their education, family, and then Jaime dared ask about her betrothed.

"Is there a wedding date for your marriage to Alyn yet?"

Her smile from his last joke faded. "No. I only know that it will be sometime in the coming year."

"I take it you don't want to marry him."

"I don't." She tried not to cry but had never been very good at holding back her tears when it really mattered.

"May I ask why?" He said after a short silence.

"I'll try to answer that." She said, wiping away her tears with a handkerchief. "But I will have to tell you a story I have never told anyone. You must promise me you'll tell no one."

"I do promise. Though I'm surprised anyone would trust my promises given who I am."

Her eyes narrowed. "Why do yo say things like that?"

"Like what? I am the _kingslayer_. I might as well embrace it." He quipped.

"I don't believe that and neither do you. One broken vow does not define you. King Aerys was an evil man and from what I know of you, I am confident that you did not break your oath lightly. Whatever happened, he must have deserved it." She told him sadly.

"How can you be sure of that?" He said taken aback.

"Because a man who cares nothing for his promises doesn't concern himself with a bruised lady in waiting from a secondary house."

"Thank you." Jaime sighed. It was refreshing to be seen in a different light for once. "Alright. So tell me your story." He said gently.

She nodded, taking a breath, smoothing out her skirt nervously. "My Uncle, Garth the Gross has abused me since the time I was a child… and when I became a maid his son Garret did so as well…"

It took Jaime a moment to comprehend her meaning. He felt sick when he understood it. He was so horrified he didn't have words.

"I tried to tell my father after it began. He did nothing. I think some of the household guard knew it as well. They did nothing….I thought that accompanying cousin Margery to the capital would put an end to all that but Garret was named to the kingsguard and..."

"Seven Hells, you mean to tell me this is still going on?"

She nodded. "He came two nights ago and with the pain from my injuries I blacked out."

"You will not have to endure him again. I swear it!" Jaime said. "I will expel him from the gold cloaks and send him home to his father if I must but he will not harm you again."

"Thank you." She said. He noticed she was shaking.

"It's getting late. I will escort you back to your room and if you like then we can meet again soon." Jaime offered.

"Of course I would like to. You didn't think I planned this just to get your help with Garret?" She said worriedly. "Because I truly hadn't even planned on telling you."

"Why not? Why would you keep it to yourself when I can help you?"

"Because the last time I asked for help no one listened to me." She admitted.

"Not even the queen?"

"I never told her. She didn't have the power to stop any of it until recently and if I told her now it would put her in the middle of a family conflict."

"I see…"Jaime said but he really didn't. He had some idea of what it was like to be helpless having been imprisoned and his hand taken away but he had no experience with the sort of abuse that Elinor had endured.

Jaime walked Elinor back to her room. He was ready to leave her at the door.

"Maybe you could come inside with me for a moment. Garret sometimes hides in my room while I'm out." She said anxiously.

He led the way into the room, checking under the bed and in all the possible hiding places. "I believe the room is clear." He said after a few minutes of searching. "So I will take my leave."

Elinor went to the door to unlock it and Jaime followed her. "Thank you for the lovely evening Jaime." She told him.

She was standing close to him or maybe he was standing close to her. Before he could think it through he was putting his arms around her and his lips on hers. She all but melted into him, returning his embrace and his kiss. It took all of his willpower to pull away from her and she gasped in protest when he did.

"Goodnight my lady." Jaime said, finally leaving her.

"Good night." She breathed, locking the door behind him.


	4. Chapter 4

After he left her that night, Jaime realized that Elinor hadn't truly explained why she didn't want to marry Alyn Ambrose. Perhaps by her story she had meant to say that she didn't want to marry or want anything to do with men at all. But she had willingly accepted _his _company and even seemed to enjoy his kiss so she apparently wasn't avoiding the entire male species. He would have to ask her about it later in the week when they met again.

The following day Jaime sought out Garret Flowers. He found the young man in the armory polishing lances.

"It's dull work polishing lances." Jaime commented as a way of greeting.

"That it is, ser." Garret agreed with a grin.

"For that matter, most of our work is rather dull. I'm sure you've found by now that joining the goldcloaks is not as glorious as you'd expected." Jaime went on. He had planned out most of this conversation before he came.

The younger man's eyes widened. "It isn't so bad, ser. I have the honor of guarding the king."

"Yes of course you do. You have the honor of standing silently outside the king's chambers while he argues with his wife, or waiting for him at the privy while he takes a shit, or carrying him back to bed when he's passed out drunk. We all know how _honorable_ it is."

Garret only stared at him, disturbed by his lord commander's words.

"Only a few types of men join the goldcloaks. There are those who are sent because they are younger sons from lesser houses and have no where else to go save the wall, and there are those are naive enough to believe that guarding the king is nothing but glory and adventure, and there are those like you who came to the capital to be near someone." Jaime said boldly.

Garret fumbled with the lance in his hands dropping it to the floor with a clatter.

"Tell me who is the lucky woman that brought you here?" Jaime asked in a friendly tone.

"She is a cousin of mine." Garret admitted, picking up the lance from the floor.

"I see, though wouldn't it have been simpler to marry her than to join the goldcloaks to be near her?" Jaime prodded.

"Not really no…"Garret seemed uncomfortable with direction the conversation was taking.

"I can't see why not. Your father is a lord, there are so many Tyrell cousins that finding husbands for them all can't be easy. If you would take her then it seems like her father would have no objections… unless the lady won't have you." Jaime said in an almost mocking tone.

"Did you have some reason for visiting the armory, Lord Commander?" Garret was growing angry. "Or did you just come here to mock me?"

"I did not come here to mock you. I came here to warn you." Jaime told him.

"Warn me of what?"

"To keep your distance from Lady Elinor Tyrell."

Garret blanched white but said nothing.

"Ordinarily I might tolerate a little fraternization with women among my goldcloaks but not when the woman has clearly said no. She doesn't want you and if you so much as look at her again I will dismiss you from the guard and send you back to your father in disgrace, understood?" Jaime said with far more self control than he felt.

He left Garret standing in the armory without letting him reply. If he hadn't walked away just then he might have struck the man. As it was Jaime knew he was being far too kind to Garret Flowers. He had wanted to dismiss the man without a warning and to have him punished. Doing so would have only exposed Elinor's situation to all the gossip in the kingdom. He couldn't do that unless she was willing and able to handle it.

A few hours later Jaime found himself near the throneroom. Elinor was usually with Margaery and probably wouldn't be far away. He hadn't planned to purposely visit her but he wouldn't mind if he did see her by chance. He came to this end of the castle to leave some papers for Tommen to sign and seal all regarding the addition of three new members of the guard. ordinarily he would have sent one of the younger goldcloaks on such a petty errand but this time he chose to go himself.

Tommen was seated on the iron throne and most of the courtiers were clearing the room. Good, he had missed court and all the tediousness. Lady Maergary was seated next to the king but Elinor was nowhere to be found.

"Uncle Jaime." Tommen waved him over to the throne.

Jaime approached. "I've brought orders for three new goldcloaks for you to sign." He passed the papers over to Tommen.

"Of course. I'll have them ready for you tomorrow." Tommen said amicably.

"Thank you, your grace." Jaime said and turned just slightly to address the queen. "My queen, it seems you are missing your attendants."

"Yes, my poor cousin Elinor was unwell this morning." It was not lost on Margaery that Jaime was asking after Elinor. "She could not leave her bed and she refused a maester. I am quite worried about her."

Jaime disliked this news. "Is she ill or injured?"

"I am afraid she would not say." Tommen answered the question. "She seemed unable to stop weeping. I am sorry to say that this is not the first time she has been indisposed in this manner. Elinor is inclined to be melancholy quite often. When she is like this, nothing can cheer her."

"His grace speaks the truth." Margaery added. "My sweet cousin is unable to face the world some days. But I have always had the feeling that she has a reason for her sorrow, some secret that she keeps about the reasons for her despair."

Jaime knew the reason, or he at least could guess. It had a great deal to do with Garth the Gross and his son Garret Flowers. "Perhaps she doesn't share her secret because she believes that no one can help her."

The queen raised an eyebrow. "You know what it is. You know what the burden is that my cousin has carried all of her life." She was shocked.

"I have some idea yes, but it is not my secret to share." Jaime admitted. "I am going by the kings chambers at the change of guards later. While I am there shall I look in on her?" It was not his place to openly visit one of the queen's ladies without permission. He had done so once when she was injured but it would be presumptuous to do so again.

"Oh please do." Margaery said warmly. "If anything will cheer her, I think you can."

Jaime took his leave, not stopping to ask about the queen's words though he did wonder about them. Why did the queen believe that his presence would cheer up Elinor? Maybe Elinor was more of a confidant of the queen's than she had indicated and had told her all of what had transpired between them. If that was the case then he would need to be careful. It wasn't that he didn't trust queen Margaery but… he didn't trust queen Margaery.


	5. Chapter 5

Lady Elinor's chambers were just a few doors down from the king and queen's rooms. Margaery liked to keep her ladies close by. Jaime wasn't sure what to expect on going to her room. He had been in it twice before, once on the evening he carried her there and again to check it for intruders. The king and queen had told him that Elinor was melancholy and he supposed that must be the fatal flaw that was supposed to frighten him away. It didn't. It only made him more curious.

He knocked lightly on her wooden door and heard the sound of footsteps inside as she came to unlock it.

"Ser Jaime?" Her hair was a bit out of place and her eyes were red from crying but she was dressed and mostly ready to have a guest from what he could see.

"Forgive me for coming unannounced. I heard you were unwell…" He began.

"Come in." She opened the door wider and moved to let him in. She moved to sit on the divan and Jaime joined her there.

"You have been crying."

She nodded. "Last night, after you left...I didn't even realise one of my room keys was missing until…"

"Gods…no… he was here last night?"

She managed a nod.

"That little shit." Jaime stood and began to pace the room. He couldn't stay still with so much anger coursing through him. "I spoke to him today. I told him he will be dismissed if he touches you again. That isn't nearly enough. He needs to be punished. I'll have him sent to the wall."

"You can do that?" She asked a mixture of anxiety and hope.

"I can and I will." He decided in that moment that he would do exactly that.

She stood and caught his arm as he continued to pace back and forth past her. He stopped and looked down at her. "Thank you." She told him, meeting his eyes.

Once again, he didn't even think it through, he just kissed her. Or maybe he had been thinking about it for so long that he finally stopped thinking and just acted on impulse. She felt right, in his arms her lips on his. They were pressed close to one another and enjoying one another for a long while. Jaime felt his need for her growing and she was close enough to feel it to. She pulled away from him with a gasp, worry in her eyes.

"I'm sorry...I..I'm sorry…" She began and stopped not knowing how to go on.

"It's alright. You have nothing to be sorry for. If you want to go no further than kissing then I am content with that." He told her gently. He didn't want to hurt her and he wasn't even supposed to be with a woman anyway so he was willing to take what he could get.

"That's just the thing. I do want to go further, but I am afraid of my own memories." Elinor admitted.

"Then we will go as slowly as you need to go and you can be in control of what happens, not me." He offered, then he stepped back and sat down on the divan in a semi reclined position. He waited to see what Elinor would do.

Elinor bit her lip for a moment as she watched Ser Jaime. Then with trembling hands she began to unlace her dress. Jaime arched an eyebrow as he watched her. The dress fell to the floor. Next took out her hair pins, slipped off her shoes, and her small clothes dropped to the floor as well, leaving her wearing only a thin shift that he could all but see through. She approached him and straddled his lap, leaning forward to untie the laces on his shirt. Then she reached down nearly underneath herself and pulled at the shirt. He took the hint and sat up enough to remove the shirt, nearly spilling her off of his lap in the process. He caught her with one arm and she suppressed a giggle. Once the shirt was off and his breeches were unlaced, Elinor pulled the shift off over her head and tossed it to the floor, leaving her entirely nude.

She leaned forward and hungrily kissed him. Her skin was warm against his own, her breasts pressed to his chest, his tongue in her mouth. It had been a long time since he had been with a woman. His body was aching with need. He hoped she didn't panic and change her mind. He wouldn't hurt her if she did, but gods he was desperate to see this through. She was nibbling at his neck and his earlobe then moved back to his mouth. He groaned when she lowered herself onto his manhood. She moaned as well. His hands found her hips, both the golden hand and the human one, and she began to move her body slowly up and down his length. The slow pace was infuriatingly erotic. He thrust his hips to speed her up. She took the hint and began to descend on him with more speed. The both moaned as her walls closed around him and he pulsated within her.

Jaime didn't realize until after his breathing slowed, how tightly he was holding Elinor. She made no complaints though. She was breathing contentedly, eyes closed, her head on his chest as she relaxed on top of him. He loosened his grip, thinking he might be hurting her.

"Please don't go." She whispered.

"I'm not going." He told her.

"Truly?" She looked up at him.

"Well not yet anyway." He knew he couldn't stay all night. Several people were aware that he was alone with Lady Elinor, including the king and queen and two kingsguards. Rumors were likely spreading already.

Elinor sighed and gently pulled away from him. "You're right. We can't be caught like this." She said sadly.

Something within him rebelled at her words. He had spent most of his life hiding the relationship he had with the woman he loved. It was always hurried liaisons, and hasty exits for him. He'd never been able to actually sleep next to a woman or be seen in her company. And here he was dooming himself to the same problems all over again.

"I don't care if we are." He told her.

Her eyes widened in question. "Won't you be punished for breaking your vows?"

"Goldcloaks break their vows every week and it's always been ignored. As long as we remain unmarried and childless, no one cares."

"If word of this gets back to my father then my betrothal will be ended but I never wanted it anyway." She said.

"And why is that? You never explained. Is there something wrong with your intended?"

Elinor reached for her shift on the floor and slid it back on, joining Jaime again on the divan. "I was going to tell Alyn about what had happened to me, about my uncle and cousin. I began by telling him the story of some other lord who had done such a thing to his niece. But Alyn didn't think it a terrible thing at all. He laughed about the whole thing and said that women were too soft and were always seeing tragedy around them even when there was none. After that I couldn't tell him."

Jaime stayed with Elinor for several hours more. Long enough that they made love again. Jaime finally made himself say good night. When he went out into the hallway someone was waiting for him. Cersei.


	6. Chapter 6

Cersei sat in a high backed wooden chair directly across from Elinor's door. Her guards were stationed on either side of her not more than ten feet away. Someone had placed a small wooden folding table next to her table with a pitcher of wine on top of it. Cersei was nursing a goblet of wine in her hand.

"When they told me you were having a _chat _with the Tyrell girl I never expected it would take five hours." She said much too sweetly.

"What do you want Cersei?" He didn't really want to know what she wanted. He wasn't sure why he even asked.

"What I wanted was to ask my dear brother to supper. I had to search half the castle to find you and imagine my shock when I found you here, in bed with a rose." Her words were slurred.

"You're drunk. You don't belong out here in the hallway. Go back to your chambers and sleep it off." Jaime told her. He motioned to her guards. "Take her back to her room. She shouldn't have been out here."

Cersei stood and leaned close to him, her breath smelling of wine. "I will go back to my chambers, alone. And someday, when the Tyrell bitch is dead and you are alone, you will wish you had treated me better."

Jaime stared after her as she left. Was Cersei plotting to kill Elinor now?

He went back to his own chambers and struggled to fall asleep after that. He worried about what his sister might be plotting and about the possibility that she might succeed. And he wondered if Garret might still have the key to Elinor's room or if she had gotten it back. Unable to sleep without knowing the truth of it, Jaime got out of bed and went to the goldcloaks barracks, which were directly across from his own chambers. Quietly striding through the place revealed that Garret was not in his bed. He wasn't on duty either which meant that he could have very well have returned to Elinor.

He had never reached the royal quarters so fast before. The guards still on duty saw his hurried approach and were concerned. "Is something amiss, my lord?" One of them asked.

"I don't know yet. Have either of you seen Garret Flowers?" He asked them.

"No Ser, No my lord." They told him.

"He is not in his bed. Has he told either of you where he was going tonight?"

"No ser, but sometimes he likes to go to an alehouse in flea bottom, the _Rat's Kettle _they call it." One of the men told him.

"Fine, I will check there. If either of you see him, you are not to tell him that I am looking for him, and keep him away from Lady Elinor."

"As you say, ser." They agreed.

Jaime left the castle and headed to flea bottom. He had heard of this alehouse and of the brothel on the upper floor but he had never been to such a place before. He had been to more respectable alehouses of course. Never to one in flea bottom and he had only been to brothels when he needed to drag Tyrion out of them.

Flea bottom stunk of sewage and the streets were filled with mud, or perhaps sewage. No one could ever be sure. Unlike the castle, the people here were not asleep. Many shops were lit with lanterns, many homes had candles burning in the windows. There were lots of rough looking men walking the streets and a few underdressed women as well.

Jaime found _Rat's Kettle _easily enough. It was a typical alehouse filled with drunken men and bawdy women. A quick look around told him that Garret wasn't here. But that didn't mean he wasn't somewhere upstairs with a woman, or had been here earlier and then left. As much as he didn't want to stay, Jaime took a seat and ordered a drink.

"Do you know a man by the name of Garret Flowers?" He asked as his ale was poured.

"Sure do. He's one of the goldcloaks."

"That's right. Have you seen him today?" Jaime asked. He didn't expect much but it couldn't hurt to ask.

"I saw him a few hours back. He was buying up supplies like he was planning to run off somewhere."

"Really?" This had Jaime's attention. "Did he say where he was going?"

"Nope. Just said he wasn't going to the wall. Said he'd sooner take out his own eye than be sent to the wall."

Jaime headed back to the castle soon after that and set some of his men searching for their deserted brother. He couldn't help but wonder if Garret had just run off because he was spooked or if someone had actually told Garret that he was being sent to the wall. Could Cersei have heard it from outside Elinor's door. He supposed that she probably could have. This was probably all her sick form of revenge. She helped Elinor's abuser escape on purpose just to wound him.

It was nearing dawn when he finally returned to his chambers. There was no sign of Garret anywhere in the city and truthfully it would be easy for one man to hide in a city so large. He could just as easily be miles away by now. There was little point dragging out a long search. Garret was gone and there was nothing he could do about it.


	7. Chapter 7

Jaime and Elinor met in the godswood a few days later as they had planned. As soon as he saw her, Jaime realised that Elinor looked ill. Her skin was more pale than normal and it soon became obvious that she had no interest in eating any of the food she had prepared.

"Are you feeling well?" Jaime asked her concerned.

"I will be fine. I've just been tired and nauseated for a few days is all." She tried to reassure him.

He gave her a look.

"No, it's not that." She responded. "It's only been a few days and I drank moon tea after you left."

He nodded, slightly relieved. "Perhaps you should try to eat, keep up your strength."

She made an effort to eat a little, if only just to please him. After they had eaten Jaime lay back on the blanket, flat on the ground with his arms behind his head. Elinor gazed at him for a moment before moving to lie down next to him. He wrapped one arm around her and they stayed like that, talking and cuddling for much of the night.

It was well past midnight when he took her back to her chambers. He went inside just to have a quick look and be sure that they were empty. A locksmith had changed the lock on her door two days earlier and given her a new key but he checked the room anyway if only for an excuse to be with her a little longer.

When he kissed her goodnight, he wanted more, they both wanted more. However, several of the goldcloaks had seen them return to the room. It was bad enough that they had been out alone together somewhere. Staying in her room would be worse. It was true that people generally ignored it when kingsguards spent time with a woman but they still needed to be discreet about it for that to hold true. Openly taking a betrothed woman as a mistress would only be asking for trouble.

"Next time I will come to your chambers." Elinor said when they broke apart.

"Next time." Jaime agreed. His chambers were a better meeting place. There were hardly any people awake or wandering about on his side of the castle by night. No one would find them there.

Jaime found he was tired from all the recent late nights awake. He fell asleep very quickly on returning to his chambers and didn't awaken until well past dawn, late for the morning changing of the guard.

He arrived after the guard had already changed shifts so he headed to the armoury instead. There were a number of swords and weapons that needed repair or replacement. He had been planning to gather them up and bring them to the smith to be taken care of. Today was a good a day as any to get it done with. He found one of the younger goldcloaks to assist him in this task. The two of them filled a cart with weapons that needed attention and were just taking out of the room when a conversation down the hall caught Jaime's attention. Jaime motioned for the lad to go on without him and he stayed in the doorway, listening.

Two maids were pushing a cart filled with laundry. He recognized them. They gathered laundry from the whole castle, making round to every room, including the goldcloaks barracks.

"The queen was very worried. I could tell." Said the shorter plumper of the two girls.

"You always think you know what the highborns are thinking. Just because your gran was a lady don't make you no expert." Said the taller one. "Besides, she should be worried. Lady Elinor ain't been quite right for a good three days."

"I hope it isn't catching, whatever is wrong with her. I've never seen anyone alive look so dead." The shorter maid replied.

"And the way you screamed when you found her…" The taller one laughed.

"Tisn't funny. I thought I was walking in on a dead woman or a murder. She didn't even move when I poked her."

"You shouldn't have done that. It's not your place to touch her. We aren't ladies maids and don't you forget it." The taller girl scolded.

"I couldn't help it. She wouldn't wake up no matter what I did but she was still breathing, it was so strange."

Jaime waited until the maids had passed him in the hallway before leaving the armory and heading straight over to royal quarters. If Elinor was as ill as they said, he needed to be there. All he could think the whole way there was that Cersei may have poisoned her. If his sister had done this he would kill her. Cersei would die by his hand.


	8. Chapter 8

Both the queen and king were in Elinor's chambers when Jaime arrived there. They stood near her bed while the maester was mixing some concoction to pour into her mouth. The maids had been right. Elinor looked dead. Jaime approached her and stood at the end of the bed. He didn't even try to hide his concern. He was pretty sure the queen was aware of his feelings for Elinor and at the moment he didn't care what that might mean for him later.

"What happened?" He choked out.

"Ser Jaime," Pycelle looked up from his work surprised to see Jaime had arrived. "Do you have business in Lady Elinor's chambers?"

"It's alright Maester Pycelle." The Queen replied for him. "Ser Jaime is a dear friend of my cousin's. I'm sure he just came to check on her welfare."

"I am afraid she is very unwell." Pycelle said and resumed mixing his potion or medicine or whatever it was.

"I can see that she is unwell. Any fool could see that. What is wrong with her? Will she be okay?" Jaime said, frustrated with the old man.

"Since she does not have a fever and since the onset of her illness was so sudden, my guess would be poison. As to her recovery I can not say, not without some idea of what kind of poison it might be." Pycelle told them all.

"Then what are you giving her? Is that stuff she is drinking going to help her?" Jaime asked.

"This is milk and herbs. Milk often helps to neutralize many types of poison as do many of these herbs. Without knowing what sort of poison she was given or when it was given her I can make no promises as to the outcome of this treatment." Pycelle turned away and resumed gently pouring the liquid into Elinor's lips.

Jaime stood there watching helplessly for a moment. He wanted his right hand and a sword in it so he could kill someone. He wanted to scream as much as he wanted to break down and cry. But none of those things would help. He had never felt so helpless. There was only one thing left to do.

"Cersei." He whispered.

"Did you say something Ser?" The queen asked him.

"My sister did this." Jaime said more clearly this time. He thought it best to let the queen deal with the matter because if he went anywhere near Cesei he might just murder her before she could tell them what she had done.

Margaery let go of Tommen's hand and crossed the room to look Jaime in the eye. "Are you sure of that, Ser Jaime?" She was giving him a chance to take it back, to save his sister rather than Elinor.

"I am sure." Jaime said firmly.

The queen turned to the guards near the door. "Find Lady Cersei and arrest her. Send someone to let us know when it is done."

"Yes, my queen." The guard left as ordered,

Jaime found a chair and sat near Elinor's bed. He held her hand, waiting, for what he didn't know. He suddenly realized that Tommen had said very little during all of this.

"Your Grace, you have no objections to your mother's arrest?" Jaime asked him.

"I have none." Tommen said evenly.

"Even if she is convicted and punished?" He didn't say executed but he knew that if Elinor died, execution was a possibility.

"My mother is a very flawed woman. I do care for her but if she has committed a crime she can not go unpunished. And if she is executed, I will not be an orphan, I will still have my father." Tommen said, meeting his eyes.

Jaime hadn't realized Tommen knew. Of course there had been rumors for years but Cersei had always told the children they were lies. "How did you know?" He made himself ask.

"The septon told me as a boy that every trait a child has, comes from his parents." Tommen began. Margaery was bathing Elinor's brow with a warm cloth and fussing over her cousin in general. " Not just his hair color or the shape of his nose, but the things he loves and the things he hates comes from them as well. When Stannis Baratheon started spreading rumors I knew right away that they were true, in spite of everything mother said… I am nothing like King Robert was and never will be. And I'm not very much like mother either… she hated my kittens… she tried to pretend she didn't but I knew it. She doesn't like horses or dogs either. Even Robert cared nothing for animals. He found them useful but he didn't care about them…. It was just after Stannis had been sending out those papers and you came to court late, your horse had thrown a shoe and sprained a hock. You stayed with the livery master to make sure she was tended properly. Mother was furious because you were late but it was then that I _knew." _

Jaime was stunned. He did remember the incident. The mare had been hurt pretty badly and he hadn't wanted to leave her with a stranger. He _did _care for animals as Tommen said though he had never thought much about it until now. "You knew because I was late tending my horse?"

Tommen shrugged. "I suppose it does seem an unlikely story."

They all sat with Elinor for a long while, sometimes chatting, other times in silence. Her condition did not change. Then word came from the guards that Cersei had been arrested.

Tommen stood. "Take me to her. I will find out the truth in the matter."

Jaime hadn't expected that. "Might I go with you your grace?"

Tommen nodded. "Yes, but don't let her see you."

Jaime knew Tommen was right. Her confession to her darling son would be very different from what she might say to her former lover. Giving Elinor a kiss on the cheek, Jaime took his leave of her and followed his son down the long hallways towards the dungeons.


	9. Chapter 9

Jaime and the other kingsguard waited outside in the corridor while King Tommen went into the cell to speak with his mother.

"Tommen?" Cersei had clearly not been expecting her son to be the first visitor. She rushed over to him in and hugged him. Tommen returned her hug for a few seconds then gently pushed her away. "There must have been some terrible mistake but I knew you'd come and set me free!"

"That's not why I'm here mother." Tommen told her sadly.

Cersei didn't know what to say to that. It took her a moment to find her tongue. "Of course you are darling. You wouldn't leave your own mother to rot in a dungeon. I know you far better than that."

"I came here to listen to what you have to say." Tommen said evenly. "What happens to you afterwards depends a great deal on what you tell me."

Jaime wasn't sure how Tommen managed to be so compassionate and so resolute all in the same breath. He was a good king. The best that Westeros had been privileged to have in a very long time.

"Whatever do you mean?" Cersei was trying not to sound desperate and perhaps a stranger might not have heard anything other than the easy confidence she intended to portray but Jaime knew she was worried. "I don't even know why I'm here. What is it that you think I've done?"

Tommen shook his head. "What I think you have done has no bearing on this at all. In the end, your guilt or innocence will be judged by the faith, I will have no part in it. I will hand the entire matter over to the High Septon, unless you would like to confess."

"You ungrateful boy!" Cersei spat at him. "After all I have done for you, you would abandon me to be judged by someone else rather than save me, your own mother!"

"What exactly have you done for me?" Tommen asked her. His tone was controlled. He didn't get emotional like his mother did. "All my life you put all of your energy into making Joffrey king. I was the younger son. I was never going to be king. I was never going to be as ambitious or shrewd as you wanted me to be. I think you took joy in reminding me that I wasn't what you wanted. You ignored me, and when you did finally take notice you tried to shape me into a person I did not want to be. And you lied to me about my parentage. What makes you think I would be eager to help you after all that?"

With those words, Tommen walked away leaving the cell and returning to Jaime in the corridor. Jaime wondered what Tommen was doing? They came down here to get a confession and he had done little more than accuse Cersei of being a bad mother.

"Just wait five minutes, ten at most." Tommen told Jaime quietly on seeing his confused expression. "I will go back in there and she will either confess to me then, or never at all. But first she must think we have left." He nodded to the guards and they walked away from them further down the hall, stomping a little louder than was strictly necessary.

They waited in silence, though Jaime wasn't exactly sure what they were waiting for. For every minute that passed, Jaime grew more worried. Elinor needed Cersei's confession. It was the only hope she had left to survive. Then they heard it, the sound that Tommen had been waiting for. Cersei was crying. The nearly silent weeping soon became wailing, and then she shrieked in frustration.

"It's time." Tommen told Jaime, leaving him to go back into the cell.

"Tommen! I thought you had left me!" Cersei clung to him more tightly than she had the first time. "You were right. I have failed you. I spent far too much time molding Joffrey and never appreciated you for your own unique talents. I am so sorry that I did not tell you the truth about your father. It was for your own safety. Being a mother, being your mother, is all that matters to me. I beg your forgiveness."

"Mother, I'm afraid that what you have done has hurt me more than I can say though I know that you did care for me in your own way. I will try to forgive you but I need you to help me save my friend. Lady Elinor. She means the world to Margaery and I can not bear to see her so sad." Tommen said sincerely.

"How can I help?" Cersei's voice was high pitched and worried.

"There was a book in your chambers about the art of poison. Someone has poisoned Lady Elinor and…" Tommen trailed off waiting for his mother to finish the sentence for him.

"Someone must have put it there to implicate me." Was her quick reply. "I have never seen any such book."

"Perhaps someone did put it there. If that is the case then I will make all haste to find them. Until we find this person, Lady Elinor's life is in great danger. She might even be gone already… Maester Pycelle has no idea what to do for her. If you know anything about poison or have ever read anything that could help her…?" Tommen prompted.

"Maester Pycelle is an imbecile. I did read once about this poisonous flower called Devil's Moon. Did he even think of that?" Cersei said.

"Thank you Mother. I will return to my wife and Lady Elinor now. I truly hope that her health improves and that we are able to discover who placed that incriminating book in your chambers."

Jaime was amazed at what he had heard. His son was a master of manipulation. Tommen had used his position of power to make Cersei feel helpless, then used her own guilt and fear of punishment to bully her into a confession. There had been no book of poisons in her room. Tommen had contrived this story to make it clear that if she helped them with her confession, all of the charges against her would be moved to this imaginary person. He had made her feel utterly helpless and worthless and then offered everything back to her again. And it had worked.

"How did you know how to do that?" Jaime asked Tommen when they met in the corridor.

"Mother taught me." Tommen said with a smile.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

"I am sorry. I don't believe there is any remedy for devil's moon flower." Pycelle told them sadly when they arrived at his chambers out of breath. Even Tommen had run the entire distance.

"Are you absolutely sure?" Jaime was almost yelling at him. "Is there nothing written in any of these tomes that can help her?" He said looking around the room at the ominous stacks of books.

"I will show you." Pycelle took down a volume from a shelf across the room and laid it on the table near his bedside. He opened to the book and flipped through the pages at an agonizingly slow pace. "Ah, here it is. Devils Moon: A poisonous blue flower that grows in Essos and on the coasts of Dorne. It does not kill instantly but several doses can render the victim unconscious. Most victims never wake from this sleep and will die within a fortnight. In rare instances the victim will recover after three to four weeks. There is no known cure."

"That's just one book, Maester Pycelle." Tommen was saying. "Perhaps there are others, newer books with different information."

"I do try to keep all of the newest books of healing Your Grace, but I can contact the citadel in Old Town and see if there is any helped to be gained from their knowledge." Pycelle told them.

Jaime fled the room. He would not let his son see his emotional state. The goldcloaks didn't need to see him like this either. He went back to his chambers and found a skin of wine. Jaime was fully intoxicated by the time he returned to Elinor's bedside. Margaery was still at her cousin's side. She was reading aloud a book of songs when he arrived.

"Might I sit with her, alone?" Jaime asked, lowing himself into an empty chair and aiming so poorly that he landed on the floor.

"You're drunk, Ser Jaime." The queen said as he pulled himself up into the chair.

"Of course I'm drunk. Would you rather I had a feast to celebrate?" Even in his drunken state, he knew better than to speak to the queen in this manner.

"You would be far more useful if you were sober." She pointed out.

"How? How could I possibly be useful? Should I go down to the kitchens and bring some more milk and honey for her to drink. Or I could launder her clothes? I can't do anything of use at all! No one can!" The wine had not dulled his senses nearly as much as he'd hoped for.

"I'm afraid you're right. There is very little any of us can do. But if by chance she does wake, I think she might prefer to find you sober." Margaery was getting up from where she was seated on the other side of the bed. "I will leave you two alone for now. Lock the door behind me or by morning the whole castle will be gossiping about you being here in Elinor's room, drunk." She said with half a smile.

Jaime locked the door after the queen had left. Then he took off his boots and his golden hand and climbed into bed with Elinor. It did him good to be close to her, to wrap his arms around her and breathe in the scent of her hair. So close and yet so far away. He fell asleep and dreamt of Vargo Hoat chopping off Elinor's hands while he himself watched from a cage, unable to do anything to save her. Then Qyburn came and sewed her hands back on. Qyburn! Jaime woke with a start. The man had been dismissed from the citadel and was no longer a maester but perhaps he would know things or do things that Pycelle would not.

The room was dark. It must have been the middle of the night. He tried not to think about the fact that this was really the only time he had slept next to a woman and it might not happen again. He reached over and gave Elinor a brief kiss before pulling himself from the bed and putting his boots back on. He wasn't even sure where to find Qyburn. He was somewhere in the city, he knew that much because Cersei preferred Qyburn as a maester to Pycelle. Perhaps the shortest route to Qyburn was through Cersei.

Jaime's head was aching by the time he reached the dungeons. It was hard to tell if the pain came from the wine or from anger or both. The corridor was lit by a single torch. He took it with him and headed for his sister's cell. She was asleep on a straw matt when he entered.

"Jaime?' She stood and all but threw herself at him, hugging him. "I knew you would come for me."

He allowed himself to hug her with his one free arm for about three seconds. She was his sister after all and being locked in a cell was a terrible experience for anyone. Gently he pushed her away. "Where do I find Qyburn?"

"You can't be serious?" Her anger and disappointment were visible. "You came here to ask about Qyburn? You're still trying to save the Tyrell bitch?"

"Tell me where he is and perhaps I can get you out of here." Jaime prodded.

"My _son _is going to get me out of here. I don't need you to do it. I don't need you for anything… but you need me." She said sweetly.

Jaime didn't like the turn that this conversation had taken. He wanted to grab her by the throat and strangle the life out of her. And some part of him wanted to kiss her and fuck her but he did his best to keep his focus on the anger.

"If you want me to tell you where Qyburn is, it's going to cost you." Cersei continued.

"Cost me what?" Jaime asked, but he didn't need to. He already knew the answer.

"Make love to me Jaime, just like you used to." She said wrapping her arms around him. "Like you did when you still cared. Fuck me, right here and now and I'll tell you exactly where Qyburn is."

Jaime swallowed. What was wrong with him that he was even considering this offer? There had to be other ways to find Qyburn. Honestly though, he didn't even know who to ask or where to begin searching. And maybe he had missed her a little in spite of how despicable she was.

"If you're lying to me and you don't know where he is…" Jaime began.

"I know where he is." Cersei said and she kissed him. And he let her.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

It wasn't until after he left Cersei's cell that Jaime thought of Varys. He cursed himself for not thinking of it sooner. But even if the spider could have helped him locate Qyburn, there was no guarantee he would do it, at least not out of the goodness of his heart. There would have been a price to pay. Who could say what Varys would have wanted? It could hardly be much worse than the one he had just paid.

He had not been gentle with Cersei. In fact, he couldn't remember ever being quite so rough with her. She had wept maybe from the pain but never once asked him to stop. He wasn't sure if he would have stopped even if she had asked. He was glad she hadn't, glad that he would never have to find out if he was truly a monster or not.

Jaime made his way to east tower of the castle. That was where Qyburn could be found. It was still early morning, the sun was just beginning to rise. He would likely be waking Qyburn from sleep. He didn't care. He would apologize later for it if he had to. All that mattered right now was keeping Elinor alive.

Jaime pounded loudly on the door to Qyburn's room. The man came to the door with his hair askew and wearing only a night shirt.

"Ser Jaime, what is the meaning of this? Is there some emergency?" Qyburn asked somewhat confused.

"Yes there is. Come with me and I will tell you as we walk." Jaime said. The older man grabbed a robe from his room and walked with Jaime while the situation with Elinor Tyrell was explained.

"Are you sure that your source was being truthful with you?" Qyburn asked after Jaime had briefly told him the story. "I only ask because there are a number of poisons that act like Devils Moon and some of those do have antidotes. Devils Moon is very difficult to obtain here in Westeros."

"I suppose it's possible." It would be just like Cersei to lie. Perhaps she had planned the lie all along, just in case she were caught.

"Perhaps it would be best to treat her for two or three of those other poisons and if I am correct she will awaken in the day or two." Qyburn suggested.

They brought their plan to Queen Margaery who agreed to it on behalf of her cousin. Qyburn administered three different draughts of herbs to Elinor and all three of them, Jaime, Margaery, and Tommen waited by her side for hours to see if there would be any change.

"I have to go to court today." Tommen said, breaking the silence in the room.

"Then by all means, go. We will stay with her." Jaime said.

Tommen got up from his chair and turned to leave. He turned back to them when he reached the door. "I'm having mother released from her cell today."

Jaime nodded. He expected that Tommen's feelings for Cersei were probably as conflicted as his own. He loved her as a mother and hated her for so many of the things she had done. There was nothing Jaime could say about the suitability and ethics of setting Cersei free, not after what he had done that morning. He had no right to any moral decisions about anything.

Tommen left Jaime and Margaery to their silence with Elinor. Jaime had no interest in speaking. He would have liked to have a whole barrel of wine, or a sword and someone to kill with it, but he didn't want words.

It was Margaery who finally broke the silence.

"If you could, would you retire from the kingsguard?" She stated.

"What?"

"Joffrey allowed Ser Barriston to retire. We could do the same for you and install you as lord of Casterly Rock. Would you want that?" She asked sincerely.

"I don't know." He glanced over at Elinor. He would want it if she could leave this place with him. If she died… he didn't know what he would want.

"If she lives, will you keep her as your mistress?" Margaery asked. She had a talent for bold questions.

"If she lives, I will retire and I will marry her, if she'll have me." He told the queen.

"I am glad to hear it Ser. I don't think you should wait. I think you should retire and marry her now. You might not get another chance." The queen said almost excitedly.

"She can't even say her vows." Jaime said incredulously.

"No, but you can say yours. It would be something for the songs. Elinor loves the songs. Don't you want to be able to say that she was yours, before the end?" Margaery said, her tone changing to sadness.

Perhaps…" Jaime knew that her words held merit. He even liked the idea, absurd as it was. Yet he couldn't understand the queen's motives. Queens always had motives and agendas. "But why would you want _me_ for your cousin?"

"If we are speaking frankly then I must say, although we both know that Tommen has no rightful claim to the iron throne, the rest of the world is not fully aware of that yet. More Lannister and Tyrell marriages only help to solidify power for both of our families, power that we will need if the truth ever comes out… but the truth is, my cousin is not just an alliance to me. She is my friend and my sister…" Margaery stopped to wipe her tears with a handkerchief "And I always wanted to see her happy. _You _make her happy. I just want her to be happy before the end."

Jaime sighed. "Alright. I'll do it." He agreed.

Margaery stood. "Then I will join Tommen at court and set things in motion."

With that, she left him alone with the woman who was to be his wife for however brief a time it might last.


	12. Chapter 12

Jaime awoke early the next morning next to Elinor. He had slept in her bed and avoided going back to his own chambers entirely. He didn't want to leave but he must. There were too many things to do. There was to be a ceremony first thing that morning releasing him from the kingsguard and the Septon would arrive shortly thereafter to officiate the wedding. The king had ended her betrothal by royal decree as that was the fastest method. Birds had been sent out to Elinor's father as soon as she fell ill but he would not reach the capitol for another week. Margaery would be the only Tyrell family member at the wedding.

Jaime dressed and joined the king and queen for breakfast in the small hall. After they had eaten they all gathered in the throne room where he was released from his vows before the whole court. He was both saddened and relieved by it all. The guard had been his whole life. He had never wanted to be a lord, not really. He had joined because Cersei wanted him to join. It was because he wanted her more than he wanted any sort of life for himself that he had joined. Leaving meant that he was finally doing something for his own sake.

He tried to ignore the whispers among the small crowd that had gathered. The king had not made clear the reasons that Jaime was leaving. People were already coming up with all sorts of gossip to explain it. He left the throne room as soon as it was done, leaving them to their gossip.

Margaery had the maids help her dress Elinor in a wedding gown of Tyrell colors. She was already dressed and laid out neatly on the bed with flowers in her hands when he arrived. She looked pale and sickly but she was still quite pretty. For a moment he hesitated. Would Elinor really want this? They had never really spoken of marriage. They all but avoided the subject simply because they were not free to marry anyway. Maybe all she had wanted was a short affair with him before being sent off to marry someone else. Or maybe he had been overestimating her feelings for him.

"Are you ready Ser Jaime?" Margaery asked sweetly.

"Are you sure she would want this?" He asked her.

"Don't tell me you're having second thoughts now?" The queen was almost pouting.

"What if by some miracle she wakes up and finds herself married to a man she doesn't want?" Jaime said frankly.

"If by some miracle she does wake up, her betrothal to Alyn Ambrose is already broken. People mistrust broken betrothals and will assume her honor is besmirched. You had best marry her or perhaps no one will." Margaery told him.

Jaime raised an eyebrow. "I doubt her marriage prospects would be as dire as all that."

"Perhaps not. Let me put it this way, do you love her or don't you?"

Jaime swallowed. "I do."

"Well, there you have it." Margaery said with a smile.

The Septon arrived a short time later as well as several court attendants to witness the ceremony. Jaime took Elinor's hand and said his vows. It was nearly over when a commotion in the hall caught their attention.

"I _will _see my brother whenever I damn well please!" Cersei was screaming. Some of the guards had tried to prevent her from entering the room.

"Mother!" Tommen blanched white. He turned to two of the guards who had remained in the room with them. "Get her out of here!"

The two goldcloaks obeyed, removing Cersei from the hallway and back to her own chambers.

There was no feast after the ceremony. Margaery thought it best to save the feast until Elinor woke up. Surviving would be cause enough for celebration. The room cleared out rather quickly leaving Jaime alone with his new wife. Somehow he didn't feel any better for having married her.


	13. Chapter 13

The following days passed agonizingly slowly. Without his duties to the kingsguard there was little that Jaime could do but sit at Elinor's bedside. He had never enjoyed reading as Tyrion did and passing the time with books quickly became tedious. Sitting and waiting to see if the woman he loved would live or die was one of the most difficult things he had ever experienced. So he passed the time with wine, a _lot _of wine. Margaery tried to scold him about his constant drunkenness but she had little success. Even Loras Tyrell, who had been away from the capital escorting some royal jewels sent for repair in Dorne, even Loras scolded Jaime on his drunkenness when he came to visit his cousin.

"Elinor wouldn't like seeing you like this." Loras said with irritation.

"But she isn't seeing me." Jaime slurred. "She isn't seeing anyone. That's the whole point."

"Listen, I don't know what happened between you and my cousin while I was away, but you clearly don't know her as well as you think you do! Elinor is graceful and elegant and every inch a lady. She wouldn't want to be married to an old drunk!" Loras spat out the words.

Something about Loras' words got to Jaime. After Loras was gone, Jaime poured out his wine and didn't take another sip for the rest of the day. He didn't drink anymore the next day either, or the next. On his third day sober, Theodore Tyrell, Elinor's father arrived in the capital.

Theodore Tyrell was a serious man. He strode into Elinor's chambers, stood next to her bed, stared at her nearly lifeless body for a moment, stooped over and kissed her forehead, then turned to speak to Jaime, never taking a second glance at his daughter again.

The two men spoke of many things for the rest of the day, The talked about horses, war strategy, lordships, the happenings across the sea in Essos, of jokes and riddles, everything except for Elinor. The few times that Jaime tried to bring up the subject of Elinor, Theodore quickly found a new topic. When Jaime was beginning to think that he could stand this man's company no longer, Theodore suddenly stood.

"My niece the queen has offered me lodging in the castle. I believe I will retire now. I bid you good evening." Theodore said.

Jaime breathed a sigh of relief when his father in law left the room. He went to the small hall to have dinner while one of the maids spoon fed Elinor a mixture of milk and honey.

That night Jaime climbed into bed next to Elinor as he usually did. He pulled her into his arms and gave her a kiss on her cheek, her neck, her lips. For the first time since she had fallen ill she made a noise, just a whimper, but a noise nonetheless.

"Elinor?' He shook her shoulder gently. She whimpered again. "Elinor, can you hear me? Wake up! Wake up!"

What sounded more like a whine this time escaped her lips, then a gasp of breath. "Jaime?"

"Oh gods, you're awake!" Jaime squeezed her a little too tightly.

"What happened? How long have I been asleep?" She was still very disoriented.

"You were poisoned. You've been unconscious for nearly two weeks. We didn't think you would live…."

"Was my father here? I thought I heard him speaking. I dreamt he told me to wake up." She said.

"He was here. I should go find him and Margaery and Loras as well. They'll want to know you are awake." He said pulling away from her but he wasn't sad about it, he was too happy just to know that she would live.

"Wait!" She reached for him and kissed him, longingly.

After that, chaos reigned for a short time. Margaery came rushing in, tears in her eyes to hug Elinor. The maids were in and out, filling a tub with water and bringing trays of food. Then Theodore arrived, gave his daughter a stiff hug and told her he was glad she was well. Elinor was happy to see Loras, so happy that she cried. He hugged her like a brother and almost cried as well but he didn't. Tommen came to see her as well and seemed genuinely happy that she was better. It was well over an hour before the room cleared out and everyone went back to bed. And in all the chaos no one mentioned to to Elinor that she was now a married woman.


	14. Chapter 14

"Do you not think it strange that everyone has left the two of us alone in this room?" Elinor said after the last of the maids had changed her bedding and left them.

Here it was, the moment to tell Elinor what had transpired while she slept. "There is a reason for that. I was dismissed from the Kingsguard a week ago so that I could be installed as lord of Casterly Rock and so that I would be free to marry you."

Elinor clamped her hand over her mouth, clearly shocked by this news. But she said nothing and Jaime worried what that might mean. He plunged on with the explanation.

"King Tommen ended your betrothal and the Septon came and married us just after I was dismissed from the guard. I didn't want to let you die without marrying you and Margaery believed it would make you happy." He tried to explain.

Her hand dropped away from her mouth. She was angry. "How could you marry me without my consent? I don't even understand how that's possible… and you expected me to die? Do you even want me now that I've lived?"

"Of course I still want you. I have been unable to think of anything other than how much I want you since the moment we met. I had hoped that you felt the same." He told her.

She sighed. "I do feel the same. It's just a shock, is all…"

"Seeing you poisoned was quite the shock as well."

"I can imagine it was. Tell me, what did you do with yourself all that time? Did you sit gallantly by my bedside and kiss my hand and read to me?" She teased.

"Of course I did." He said sitting down next to her on the bed and putting an arm around her. "And sometimes I brought a lyre and sang to you or picked flowers for the maids to braid into your hair."

She laughed. "I don't believe a word of it." She leaned over and kissed him. Then gently pulled away. "The maids have already drawn me a bath. I should use it before the water grows cold. Then I will join you."

After her bath, she ate some of the food that had been left for her and joined him in bed. The pair awoke the next morning a tangle of naked limbs and resumed making love as passionately as they had the previous night.

In the following days they began making preparations for the journey to Casterly Rock. Jaime went back to his old chambers to pack up his things one afternoon and left Elinor to pack and visit with the queen.

Elinor was alone, putting her things into a chest when there was a knock on her door. She went to the door and opened it to find there was no one there. She looked both was down the hallway and saw no sign of anyone, only two goldcloaks.

"Did someone just knock on my door?" She asked them.

"There was a robed old woman, my lady. She ran off in a hurry. Looks like she left you something." The guard indicated the floor.

Elinor looked down and saw an envelope on the floor. Curious, she picked it up and took it back into her room.

_There is something you should know about your husband. He is not what he seems. I have been betrayed myself and I would not wish such betrayal on any lady. It is only fair that you know the truth. While you were ill, Jaime Lannister went to his sister and made love to her. If he truly loves you as he claims, why would he do such wickedness? Be wary of him. _

Elinor felt sick. She had assumed that Jaime's relationship with Cersei was over, long in the past. She had never actually asked him if they were still lovers or not. Elinor knew that Jaime did seem to care for her. It wasn't just an act. Of course it almost made sense that he would run to his old lover the moment there was trouble with the new one. He couldn't even wait for her to die before going back to Cersei? She struggled to get ahold of her emotions. Maybe this letter wasn't even true. Maybe it was just some lie someone had planted because they wanted Tommen's true parentage exposed so they could take the throne for themselves. Perhaps the writer had hoped that her anger at the betrayal would expose the truth. She had no way of knowing the truth of the matter, except to ask Jaime and she wasn't sure if she wanted to know his answer or if he would even be truthful.

Elinor tried to focus on packing her things. She put the ominous letter aside and worked on sorting out her things. But she couldn't stop thinking about it. By the time Jaime returned to her, her eyes were red from so much crying.

"What's wrong?" Jaime asked upon seeing her. He crossed the room to hug her but she moved away from him, shaking her head to indicate that she didn't want a hug. "Did something happen?"

Elinor took a deep breath, then produced the letter she had received and handed it to him. He read it quickly, then blanched white.

"Where did you get this?" He asked, trying not to sound worried.

"Some stranger left it outside my chambers. Is it true?" She asked him.

"It's true. But it's not what you think." He began.

"It's not what I think? What makes you think you have any inkling as to what I'm thinking?" She protested. "I had believed it was over between you a Cersei. Obviously I was wrong. I thought you loved me when you really just wanted to try out a new lover!"

"No. It isn't like that. I do love you. I care nothing for Cersei. I only went to her because you were dying and-" Jaime tried to explain but Elinor interrupted him.

"Because I was dying and you were lonely!" She accused.

"Absolutely not!" Jaime was almost shouting now. "I was trying to help you."

"How in seven hells were you helping me by fucking your sister?" She threw a pillow from her bed at him, hard.

"I was trying to find out where Maester Qyburn was. He was the only one left who could help you...He is a difficult man to find but Cersei knew where his chambers were." He told her, frustrated.

She crossed her arms. "And you thought you'd seduce her into giving you the information? That's just sick, Jaime."

"It isn't...it wasn't…" He just didn't know what to say that wouldn't make her angry.

"You know what? Just stop talking. I'm not interested in hearing a word you have to say right now. Perhaps you should sleep in your old chambers tonight." Elinor told him, her voice hurt and angry.

"Fine." He said, taking one of the bags he had brought with him, he headed back to his old chambers.


	15. Chapter 15

Jaime and Elinor barely spoke to each other for the entire journey to Casterly Rock. They shared a tent, as the party travelling with them expected it, but Elinor kept to her own side of the bed. By day she didn't speak to anyone to say anything beyond the necessary courtesies.

The more he thought on it, the more Jaime was convinced that the letter left at Elinor's chambers had been sent by Cersei. She didn't want anyone else to have him and she would do anything she possibly could to break up their marriage. Some part of him wished he had killed Cersei when he had the chance.

It hurt, sleeping next to her each night and having her shun his touch. It hurt being with her by day and having her unwilling to speak with him. She was hurting too. He could see it in her eyes and some nights he could hear her crying after he had fallen asleep. He tried to mention it once, to comfort her and she pretended that she hadn't been crying. She insisted that she was completely fine and that he should go back to sleep.

They arrived at Casterly Rock and Jaime offered to give Elinor a tour of the place. She tentatively agreed to it and even allowed him to hold her hand as they walked the hallways and viewed all the rooms.

"These are your chambers, adjoining mine just over there." He said stopping outside her door.

She glanced inside the doorway. "They are very nice, my lord." Elinor was still using her cordial but distant tone.

""Come inside and have a look." He said, pulling her into the room by the hand.

She looked around at the large four poster bed. There were tapestries in Lannister colors on the walls and the windows had a clear view of the sea. Elinor went to the window and gazed at the sea as the waves crashed on the rocks far below.

"It's lovely isn't it?" She said still staring out the window.

Jaime took a lock of her hair in his hand. "It is." He agreed but he wasn't looking out the window.

"Don't." She said pulling his hand away, her voice breaking at the word. "Please don't."

"Don't what? Don't touch you?" He said, hurt.

"Don't be so nice. I can't keep hating you if you're being nice." She was starting to cry.

"You don't have to to hate me. I certainly don't hate you." He told her gently.

Elinor turned away from him in an effort to hide her tears. She hugged herself as her body was wracked with sobs.

"Elinor?" Jaime put his hand on her shoulder. "Elinor, please don't do this. Let me help you."

For the first time in weeks she allowed him to hug her. She all but threw herself into his arms and wept there for a long long while.

"I'm sorry." Jaime breathed as he held her. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that I hurt you."

"I know…" She sobbed.

"Gods I have missed you… can you ever forgive me?" He asked, unwilling to let go of her any time soon.

"It's going to take me some time, but I want to try." She choked out amidst her tears.

His relief was almost palpable. He had been afraid that she would never speak to him or care for him again. That perhaps he had doomed himself to a miserable marriage with a woman who would always have as much hatred for him as he had love for her.

"So I have your permission to speak to touch you again?" He asked when her tears had ended, taking a lock of her hair into his hands again.

"Oh gods yes!" She said reaching up to kiss him.

He kissed her hungrily, his hand working at the laces on the back of her dress. The dress dropped to the floor and the two of them soon fell onto the bed nearby. They awoke the next morning in each other's arms, the sun streaming into the window. Outside they could hear the sound of the sea.


End file.
